Jaw brace



Feb. 26, 1935. J. PRESTON JAW BRACE Filed Sept. 6, 1932 INVENIOR.

J17: presrfom ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE John L. Preston,Wichita Falls, Tex.

Application September 6, 1932, Serial No. 631,868

2 Claims.

This invention relates to surgical appliances for the treatment offractures of the jaw.

Hereinafter, for convenience, the type of appliance to which theinvention relates will be referred to simply as jaw brace but this is tobe understood as illustrative only and not as in any way, a limitationupon the scope of the invention.

In present practice in cases of jaw fracture where bandages of variouskinds are relied upon for the treatment ofthis condition it has beenfound difficult to prevent slippage of the bandages and discomfort tothe patient.

My appliance has the advantage of giving maximum comfort to the patientand at the same time is very effective in producing satisfactorystability and firmly supports the fragments in their proper relation toeach other which is necessary to the natural healing process.

The jaw brace is of simple construction and may be easily applied. Ithas the advantage of being relatively cheap to manufacture.

The object of this invention is to provide a jaw brace which willovercome the disadvantages of the appliances now in use, thereby addingto the comfort of the patient and aiding the healing process.

With this object in view, this invention consists in general, of thestructural characteristics and combinations of parts illustrated in theaccompanying one sheet of drawing, described in the followingspecification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing wherein like characters of reference indicate like partsin the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the head cap and jaw brace, applied tothe patient in operative position.

Figure 2 is atop or plan view of the head cap.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the jaw brace.

Figure 4 is a cross section of Figure 3 thru the base of the jaw brace.

Referring in the first instance to that part of the invention shown inFigure 2, 1 is a head cap of material preferably such as an artificialleather-like fabric commonly known in the trade as Fabricoid or othersuitable material, having webbing straps, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 securelyfastened to said cap at proper positions so that the cap will fit snuglyto the head. Straps for supporting the brace (4, 5, 6, and 7) arefastened to the head cap in such a manner as to be conveniently fastenedand secured to the brace and holding said brace firmly but comfort- (Cl;12889) e ably in position. One strap 2 is stitched around the lower edgeor rim of the head owl and is provided at the back with a buckle 8permitting adjustmenj so that the cap may be adapted to fit variousheadsizes. Strap 3 is secured to 5 the head cap on, a center line fromthe front to rear terminating at a distance from the lower edge or rim,the remaining distance (1 being slit orcut permitting adjustment in thesize of the cap; This strap 3 is rivetted to the cap by 10 means ofeyelets which permits of ventilation.

4 and Band 6 and 7 are pairs of straps'for supporting the brace. Thesestraps are secured to thecap at spaced distances from the center of thecrown and are held in place by means of eyelets as in the case of strap3. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are arranged to slip through unstitched portions asshown at 9 and 10 of Figure l on either side 'of strap 2. These pairs ofstraps 4, 5, 6, and '7 are looped through hooks as shown at 11 of Figure1, the straps are then reversed and again passed thru the openings ofstrap 2 as shown at 9 and 10 and their ends secured by buckles 12, 13,14, and 15 on the straps on the crown of the head cap.

In Figure 3 is shown the brace which is formed to approximate thenatural contour of the jaw and is of substantially V shaped formation.It is rounded at the base to produce a concave formation and forms apocket on the inside of the outer part. This brace 16 is composed of twoparts, the outer part 17 being made of relatively light weight, yetstrong and durable, moisture-proof and sanitary material, preferably ofthe character of commercial products of vulcanized viscous substance orreconverted cellulose, particularly such as commonly known in the tradeas Viscoloid and Bakelite, which is moulded to proper contour andperforated as at 18 to provide ventilation. The inner part 19 whichcomes in contact with the patients jaw, is lined with a soft andresilient material such as delicate sponge rubber, although it isobvious that various material may be used for this purpose. As can beseen in Figure 4 this lining or inner part 19 does not fit snuglyagainst the base of the brace there being a space 20 between the liningand the outer part. The object of this feature is to form a cushion inconjunction with the pocket formed at the base of the 50 brace. Theinner lining 19 is secured to the outer part 1'7 of the brace at itsupper portions.

Buttons 21 are secured near the upper edges of the sides of the braceadapted to engage the hooks. The head cap 1 and jaw brace 16 are 55shown in conjunction in Figure 1 adapted to the patient 22. The cap 1 isshown attached to the brace by means of the hook 11, similarly appliedto both sides. The appliance is adjusted by the buckles 12, 13, 14, and15 which permit vertical and anterior-posterior adjustments andadaptation to the various contours and sizes. Strap 2 adjusts the cap tothe patients head size.

By reason of these adjustable features, the device may be almostuniversally applied. It is apparent that the appliance may be made ofany suitable material and that it is not limited to the suggestions madein this specification. lt is also obvious that the appliance isadaptable for treatment of fractures of the jaw bothu'pper and lower asone of the means for stabilizing the fragments which will result in asatisfactory immobilization which must be maintained as nearly aspossible throughout the course of treat.-

.25 sary to rebandage the fracture.

ment.

As vI have heretofore pointed out it is well knownin surgical practicethat where bandages are relied upon in cases of jaw fracture there isoften, a tendency of the bandages to slip or stretch and get out ofposition, making it neces- With the use of my appliance slippage andstretching is eliminated.

Modifications and alterations in the form and arrangement of partswill'sl lggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is to beunderstood that such differentlforms of construction are contemplated asforming a part of this invention in so far as they fall within the scopeof the following claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. An appliance of the class described including a head cap, a strapsecured around the lower edge of the head cap, a slit extending upwardlyfrom the lower edge of the said head cap and providing an openingwhereby the head size of thehead cap may be varied, asubstantially V-shaped jaw brace adjustably secured 310 the head cap, said jaw braceperforated to permit the passage of air therethrough and a resilientlining in said brace, the said lining being attached to the brace at itsupper ends and being spaced apart at its lower portion from the saidbrace.

2. In a device of the class described comprising a head cap, a slit insaid head cap extending upwardly from the periphery of the head cap, astrap secured substantially around the lower edge of the head cap, saidstrap being free at the k 9 the ead cap and ar anged to b sec redtogether for closing the slit whereby the head s Of th h a can ay e a edwo: a rs of straps secured .to the crown of said. head cap,

the said pairs of straps being folded into loops, b k es on e a s, fo adu tin he 19 9s, hooks secured in the loops and a substantially v.-shapedjaw brace detachable connected to the said hooks. HN vL- RE TQN-

